Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

[mike64]

Now that the boat is all winterized and put away till Spring, here's some thoughts after my first summer owning a boat:

I had a blast from the start?I remember the first time I got her out on the water and opened up the throttle?WOOEE! But August was the best month, because wasn?t till then I felt confident enough about my boating skills to really relax and enjoy myself out there. Well, it wasn?t just that, the first couple times I took the family out I didn?t want anything to go wrong?I wanted their first memories of going out on the boat to be great ones. And fortunately everything did go great and we got past that milestone! The only two times I had trouble with the boat were by myself and with a fishing buddy. Couldn?t have planned it much better than that.

I didn't think it would be possible, but the summer goes by even more quickly now.

Lakes around my house have shrunk. There are dozens of lakes around here suitable for motorboating. Now I realize they are really only puddles. Most people seem to get a need for more speed after they get their first powerboat, I got big water fever. I?m not so crazy to think I could do a Great Lake in my little runabout, but I did consider getting out on Lake St. Clair (a 430 square mile lake between Lakes Huron & Erie). But I've been told by several people my boat's too small even for the wakes on that lake. I was doing a search for info on Lake St. Clair and the first thing I found was an article about a family in a boat with my exact specs (16? with a 65HP motor) that got swamped and sunk by a big cabin cruiser?s wake on that lake, which didn?t seem like a good omen. So looks like I'll stick to the inland lakes till I can get a bigger boat someday.

Heard what BOAT stands for? ?Break Out Another Thousand?. Ain?t that the truth.
Worth every penny though!

I can?t describe how glad I am I found this forum. The help I got from all you guys has been invaluable. I would?ve spent a LOT more time and a LOT more money trying to get stuff fixed on my boat, and a LOT less time on the water otherwise. Before the internet I don?t know how a guy like me could deal with buying an older boat, without having any family background in boating or really knowing anybody who had any knowledge of boating. THANKS AGAIN EVERYBODY!!

 

[dave11]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Just pick your days and be careful. I have a similar boat and have had it in both Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. I usually am out in the Gulf of Mexico now.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Next season will be even better, I'm sure. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Glad you had a great year!
When it comes to boating and fishing in Michigan, you haven't even scratched the surface!
Some of my favorites, Hamlin, Houghton, Higgins, South Manistique, Sessions, Hackert, Millicquin, Milikokia!!
Rest up this winter and hit hard next year!

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

To cool Mike !!

Yea you can go out in the bigger lakes but Daves right , pick your days !! go where you can run and hide if you have to around some islands !!

I have been down in anchor bay , and in the saginaw bay , In a smaller boat we just have to watch more and be a lot more carefull !!!

I have been out in saginaw and anchor bays where its been smooth as glass and also been out there in 5 footers !! thats not fun !!! just use your common sence and you will do just fine !!

If you do go out in the bigger lakes my i make a sugestion , get a radio !! even a cb !!! John

 

[i386]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Yup, it's about that time of year for this type of talk.

 

[Carphunter]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Great story for sure. Glad to hear you had a successful 1st season. Here's hoping you have many more.​

 

[mike64]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Glad you had a great year!
When it comes to boating and fishing in Michigan, you haven't even scratched the surface!
Some of my favorites, Hamlin, Houghton, Higgins, South Manistique, Sessions, Hackert, Millicquin, Milikokia!!
Rest up this winter and hit hard next year!

Yeah, so many lakes, so little summer

 

[mike64]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

To cool Mike !!

Yea you can go out in the bigger lakes but Daves right , pick your days !! go where you can run and hide if you have to around some islands !!

I have been down in anchor bay , and in the saginaw bay , In a smaller boat we just have to watch more and be a lot more carefull !!!

I have been out in saginaw and anchor bays where its been smooth as glass and also been out there in 5 footers !! thats not fun !!! just use your common sence and you will do just fine !!

If you do go out in the bigger lakes my i make a sugestion , get a radio !! even a cb !!! John

Yeah, good call on the bays, jcsercsa. Now that you mention it, we went camping with another family at Tawas Point State Park this past summer and I noticed a lot of people with boats up that weren't any bigger than mine were fishing in Saginaw Bay (sadly I had left my boat at home). Looks like the best of both worlds-- calmer water and better fishing!

 

[MikDee]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Good to hear! More power to ya! I grew up on the Great South Bay Long Island, with a 16' wooden lapstrake runabout, and a 30hp motor, where it can get pretty nasty, and big boats cruise by without giving a damn
One tip to remember in rough water, or big wakes, that worked for me, if you can see it coming, head directly into it (deadhead into it), and bring the throttle up to the point where your bow is angled up highest (not actually planing, you don't want to slam into it), but plowing, with the back of your boat planted well in the water for stability. You don't want it to hit you broadside, or to hit it on an angle to the side, this can throw your boat off balance, or capsize it. If it's severe, you might take on some water, then you've got to bail it out, or turn on the bilge pump, but I'd rather have that, then capsize. This is the best way to ride a following wake, or waves also, directly inline over them,,, to fast, you'll pound, too slow, and you will possibly take water over the stern.
Now, you see how important it is to have at least some power, because if you're fishing, or dead in the water, you're better off anchoring so the current, or waves will keep your bow inline towards the waves, the way you want it, giving you some stability at least.

You've probably learned all this from "seat of the pants" driving your boat through the summer, but I thought I'd point it out anyway, as a refresher.

 

[mike64]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

...One tip to remember in rough water, or big wakes, that worked for me, if you can see it coming, head directly into it (deadhead into it), and bring the throttle up to the point where your bow is angled up highest (not actually planing, you don't want to slam into it), but plowing, with the back of your boat planted well in the water for stability. You don't want it to hit you broadside, or to hit it on an angle to the side, this can throw your boat off balance, or capsize it...

Thanks for the tips MikDee, but I always heard that you should hit waves & wakes at an angle...? What you say makes sense though. I haven't really been in rough enough water to make a difference. Anybody else got an opinion on that-- do you hit waves head on or at an angle?

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

Big waves, head on, bow up.

 

[colobiker]

Re: Thoughts on my first boating season, now that it's done

mike64

thanks for the story. I hope to post a similar story next fall after spending
my 1st summer with a boat as well.

thanks for sharing.. its inspirational to me.